One of the most fascinating Lancia Aurelia in the world, restored, with 225 HP under the hood, is for sale

This car is both a classic model with a superb history, and a restomod at the same time. It is also a classic creation, which pays tribute to a Lancia legend, but it is also restored and worked on nowadays. And even if this Lancia was originally manufactured in 1954, 79 years ago, it has a V6 under the hood that produces 225 HP, put on the asphalt in a fabulous way.

This Lancia was created by Thornley Kelham, a UK workshop founded in 2009 as a tinsmith shop, but which began restoring Lancias within a short period of time and quickly gained a reputation as one of the most skilled in everything Lancia means.

At one point, the workshop received a request to restore a 1951 Lancia Aurelia, which the owner said he had every reason to believe was the one once owned and driven by Giovanni Bracco, a friend of Gianni Lancia, passionate about motorsport and racing Lancia cars. After a detailed investigation the assumption was confirmed, that example was perhaps the most famous Lancia in history - a first series Lancia Aurelia B20GT, manufactured in 1951, which had belonged to Bracco. The car had the serial number B20-1010 and it was precisely the one tha came 2nd in the Mille Miglia race just a few days after it left the factory gate, when it was still running in!

Photo: Lancia B20GT, pictured finishing 2nd at the end of the 1951 Mille Miglia, driven by Bracco

Then, in the same year, he took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Bracco and his team won victory in its class with that Lancia Aurelia!

Photo: The same Lancia, at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours Race

Several other Italian races followed, including Pescara, and in November 1951, Bracco took it overseas to participate in the Carrera Panamericana. Bracco was among the leaders when, on the 4th day of the race, he had an accident with it, which took him out of the race. After that, Bracco sold the damaged car to a Mexican architect, Peredo, who restored it and participated with it the following year in the same race, finishing 9th in its class.

Photo: The same Lancia, in the Carrera Panamericana race

The car went down in history as the Lancia that achieved the most competition successes in such a short time, and the thread of its history had been lost at some point. The person who wanted to restore it had discovered it in a garage in the USA and after checking all the numbers on the body and engine, after studying the archive documents, it was confirmed that it was Bracco's glorious example.

Photo: Bracco's glorious example when it was discovered

Naturally, Thornley Kelham felt honored and lucky to be able to restore such a famous and respected Lancia, so they put all their craftsmanship to work, and this machine brought them, as a workshop, world fame. They also attracted Giovanni De Virgilio, the son of Francesco De Virgilio, the original creator of the Aurelia engine and a close friend of Bracco, to the project. They thus obtained constructive consultations from the first source.

Photo: The engine on Bracco's example, before restoration

The restored car was ready in 2015 and was exhibited at Pebble Beach in California. And so everyone who is passionate about classic cars and collectors from all over the world learned the news of the restoration of this Lancia specimen that was no longer known to exist. And at the same time, they were able to see the work of Thornley Kelham, the workshop immediately gaining the impeccable reputation it has today.

Photo: Bracco's example, restored to look as it looked in the 1951 Carrera Panamericana race

So great was the impact of that restored original 1951 example that Thornley Kelham, with the permission of the owner of that example, decided to create a limited series of Lancia Aurelia, restored with deep inspiration from that car of Bracco. It was decided to create 9 copies, based on cars produced between 1953 and 1958 by Lancia Aurelia B20GT, which, together with that original and authentic one from 1951, would have counted 10 cars. Only that copy remains the priceless original, and the other 9 are variations created out of respect for it. And those nine creations are officially called the Lancia Aurelia B20GT "Outlaw".

Photo: Lancia Aurelia B20GT "Outlaw"

To date, only 6 of the 9 have been created, the last 3 being still in the works. And they all differ a little from each other, even in the engine they use and the performance they offer. Car number 4-6 use a more modern V6 engine from the Busso family. But the 1-3 uses an upgraded version of the first 60-degree block V6 in history — the 2.8-liter V6 from the Lancia Flaminia, which paved the way for all subsequent V6s throughout the automotive world.

And the car we're talking about today is copy number 3, so Outlaw #3, as it were. And it has that 2.8-liter V6 engine under the hood, originally from a Flaminia. The engine was switched to injection instead of a carburettor, however, and other upgrades were made, and as a result, it develops 225 hp. More than that, an air conditioning system was also installed on this classic engine, to ensure climatic comfort inside.

The passenger compartment is made in racing style, inspired by the same copy of Bracco. The imagination of the workshop designers was also given free rein, so they created a true Art Deco work.

On the outside, the car is visibly inspired by the Bracco model, like all the 9 models produced, but it does not use the inscriptions and plates that belong only to the original model.

The gearbox, by the way, is a 4-speed one, with transaxle mounting, and with all mechanical elements reinforced compared to the classic car. Even the engine pistons and connecting rods are made of modern forged alloy to withstand the increased power. The suspension has also been modified for better handling, the brakes are double circuit and much stronger, the front calipers have, for example, 4 pistons and 310 mm discs.

The list of modifications and upgrades is huge, in fact, with no detail left out, no weak link left in the chain of modernized performance of this Lancia! And since only 6 are produced for now and there will be only 9 in total, these Lancia Aurelia B20GT Outlaws are already sought-after jewels for the collection. They cost exorbitant sums, not publicly disclosed, even when contracted from the Thornley Kelham workshop. But, as all 9 have already been contracted, enthusiasts have only to buy a copy like the one we are talking about today, which costs more, of course, and which is the only one in the world that has been put up for sale for now. The price remains unsaid, to be communicated during a tet-a-tet discussion. But it is of the order of "very much" for sure. Because it's something too special, too fabulous, too exclusive to be otherwise.